We aren't quite what happened yesterday on the nation. In speaking with our server support desk -- located in a very distant country staffed by very indifferent workers -- it seems it went like this: “something something too much data, something something bigger server needed something something crashed.”

Allow us to translate this into English: old web hosting company soon to be canned even though it’s Christmas.

As we understand it in talking with the new web developer -– who remains aces -– we are getting too big for your garden variety server. Translation: all the traffic of late has crashed our hosting company’s server twice in the past week.

So onwards and upwards we go to our own dedicated server.

Real News

First, if it means the Oilers would win every night we would gladly close the OilersNation down forever, smash all our computers to bits and burn down NationHQ. If that’s all it took for the Oil to turn it around, we would do it in a heart beat and rejoice that we were able to find the secret to success. That was actually a great hockey game last night. There was hitting, fighting, a few scores, some cheering, loud noises and a scoreboard.

Basically everything we like to see we saw:

The beating Strudwick laid on Carcillo? Wow. He hit him so hard his credit score changed. That will teach you to fight someone with reach a foot longer than yours, Danny boy.

Pouliot having the presence of mind to make a drop pass, get hit, stay on his feet, stay watching the puck then pot a beauty of a goal? It makes the mind positively spin, doesn’t it?

The Hemsky pass across the crease to Cogliano was pretty tidy as well. Not too many peeps make that pass now, do they?

Can we just say how much we missed the JL meeting? For reals. Unless you are at the game or in a bar, the JL makes the game so much more interesting. Who could hear all our witticisms? Our friends? Who cares about them. We don’t in the least.

Two Random Oilers factoids:

fIVE players on pace to crack 20 goals this season

30th in the league in scoring at home

And lastly

The Oilers signed Ryan Huddy.

How wonderful! It’s good to see that we have given up any pretense that the Oilers are anything beyond a work placement centre for former Oilers players and their family members. The geniuses passed on Drew Stafford, having turned up their noses and said "he’s merely related to the trainer. That’s hardly worth a draft pick never mind his stats."

These same rocket surgeons have now decided that there aren’t enough small forwards in the system and it’s time to add another to the mix. Perhaps the Oil have enough small forwards already. Or perhaps we have missed each and every Oilers game this year so we don't know about all the secret grit this team is packing up front. That must be it.

Seriously, what is Craig Muni’s third cousin doing these days? Perhaps the Oil could offer him a one-way goaltending contract. There aren’t enough of them hanging around that’s for sure.

Despite the fact that the Oilers played better last night than they have in several previous games, I was still concerned that they don't necessarily win last night if the Coyotes don't absolutely implode late in the third and hand the game over. The Oilers didn't win; the Coyotes lost. I'm wondering if Carcillo is secretly a double agent for the Oilers; if he is, he's VERY dedicated, taking that pounding from Strudwick in the line of duty and all. But Carcillo must be a double-agent, right? I mean, how else does he take that many absolutely retarded penalties that late in a tied game?

In short, I'm not looking to give the win back, but it would be nice to see the Oilers take something rather than have it handed to them. Let's hope Friday sees some of that.

I... I.... I... I... kinda missed most of the game last night thanks to a spirited game of monopoly with my sister, her husband and my wife. But I did manage to see the newly goatee'd Wayner getting mad at the ref's at the end of the third period. The sun shines on the dog's ass someday, Carcillo managed to do the Giguere thing that he did a few years ago when he blew up on the $6 million dollar mullet boy.

Anyways a win is a win and around christmas which makes it better for my family at the dinner. At least I won't be grumbling so much at the dinner this year.

One note from the game: Hemsky's linemates didn't seem to be able to keep up with him in the first period. Perhaps it's time for a big trade (Horc or Penner, plus parts (maybe a goalie?) for an A-1 centre or right-wing)?

One note from the game: Hemsky’s linemates didn’t seem to be able to keep up with him in the first period. Perhaps it’s time for a big trade (Horc or Penner, plus parts (maybe a goalie?) for an A-1 centre or right-wing)?

Hemsky was in a class all to himself last night, but I think Penner was playing really well too; he was drawing defenders and making room for Hemsky to look so good. Horcoff seemed a little scrambly, though.

Alot of good things, besides the win, came out of last nights game. Better puck movement on the 5-3 pp, more down low and less from the point. There was good energy, all lines were productive and the 4th line looked great. The thing that stuck out to me was the play in their own end, they didn't get trapped like most games because, instead of just trying to force the puck up along the boards the forwards came back better and the defence moved the puck faster because they could pass it out rather than just dumping it into the nuetral zone.
The second period was horrific becuase they stopped competing, skating, hitting and doing what worked in the 1st.
They need to blueprint this game, because if they play like they did in the 1st and 3rd they will be successfull and it will be easier to actually move a guy like Robert Nilson if he doesnt pick up his play.
PS. Mac T KEEP THESE LINES TOGETHER for Vancouver.

@ Adam Dyck:
Yep, it's time for an A-1 centre alright. I think it's been time ever since Doug Weight left. So... go ahead. Go get one. Just, make a trade for a valuable commodity that every other team in the league is looking for.

Why don't we all call the Oilers' front office, and let them know that what they need is superstar players. I'm sure they haven't figured that one out yet.

While we're at it, let's just call MacT and tell him that his problem is not enough goals for, and too many goals against.

And then we'll call the Global Economy, and tell them that it should go with rising stock prices, and more jobs, instead of the other way around.

And then we'll call Terri Schiavo's body, and tell her that her problem was not enough brain activity, and too much being not-alive. Kind of like you for making that ridiculous comment.

OilFan in Calgary wrote:
Wow - the standings on here updated about 14 hours after game time, that must be a record. Did you upgrade to 14.4kbps?
Someone living in Calgary shouldn’t be chastizing others on choices they have made in their lifetime.

Fair comment... Another fair comment would be that the "standings" on the site aren't really standings, as they don't really show how where the Oilers "stand" in relation to other teams in the Western conference. Once the Oil make their way back into a playoff spot (I would say with a victory on NYE) it would be nice to see the WC standings on the site (too depressing before then)....

Gary wrote:
OilFan in Calgary wrote:
Another fair comment would be that the “standings” on the site aren’t really standings, as they don’t really show how where the Oilers “stand” in relation to other teams in the Western conference.

Gary wrote:
Gary wrote:
Who exactly are you impressing here? Wanye?
To be fair we like input from everyone. And I am royally pleased that someone in Calgary cheers for the Oil.
What have you done to impress anyone lately Gary?

Man F**K Calgary.... I live close-by Calgary and let me tell you I haven't met more loyal and true fans then Flames fans(Bleeding Sarcasm). Anyways, Wanye thanks for the laughs! Now send me a shirt!

Living in Calgary purely for employment reasons (as are many a transplanted Oilers fan)... I agree that there is nothing worse than a Flames fan (espcially the 98% of them who became fans in 2004), and we often risk life and limb down here telling them that...

Dennis wrote:
Does anyone think losing Moreau would hurt a whole he((ulva lot?
I think it would. Every team needs a few warriors and Moreau certainly qualifies. He leaves it all out on the ice every time, and contributes a large amount of hits and leadership.

Agreed - every team needs a player like Moreau, but on the FOURTH LINE.